5+ hour, 43+ min ago   (316+ words) Elevated vaginal inflammation may increase birth risks in pregnant women with IBD, though healthier diets may help mitigate this effect. Researchers found that pregnant women with IBD had a more inflammatory vaginal environment than their healthy counterparts. Healthy vaginal microbiomes…...

1+ week, 19+ hour ago   (424+ words) Maternal gut microbiome and immune health in mice influence the brain development of their offspring. During pregnancy, as a mother's body nurtures new life, her health shapes the baby's development. Shifts in maternal health can trickle to the fetus, leaving…...

1+ week, 6+ day ago   (366+ words) The liquid world of fetal development provides a rich source of nutrition and protection tailored to meet the needs of the growing fetus. During pregnancy, a fetus grows inside of the uterus surrounded by a liquid called the amniotic fluid....

1+ mon, 1+ week ago   (501+ words) Fat-related odors in maternal diet shape how an offspring's brain responds to food intake, priming the regulation of long-term metabolic health. Exposure to smells associated with fatty foods that mothers consume, such as bacon, during development may increase the risk…...

2+ mon, 2+ week ago   (374+ words) Long-chain PFAS are thought to be more likely to accumulate in the body and pose greater health risks than short ones. But it seems that the majority of PFAS blood serum content of people exposed to contaminated drinking water was…...

3+ mon, 2+ week ago   (460+ words) A new study recasts placental implantation as "coopetition," showing how maternal and fetal cells both resist and enable invasion, with clues to pregnancy health. The placenta, with its branching blood vessels, is the interface where maternal and fetal cells meet…...

4+ mon, 3+ day ago   (266+ words) Researchers analyzed human breast milk samples and uncovered gene expression patterns tied to high and low breast milk supply. Genetic signatures could explain why levels of breast'milk production vary among people. Sahana is an Assistant Editor at The Scientist, where…...

4+ mon, 4+ day ago   (529+ words) Scientists linked a maternal gut microbe that degrades key pregnancy hormones to early labor, potentially serving as a predictive risk biomarker. Researchers have identified gut microbes associated with higher risk of preterm birth in early pregnancy. During pregnancy, expectant mothers…...

4+ mon, 1+ week ago   (427+ words) Stephanie Culler from Persephone Biosciences highlights the rising gut microbial imbalance in babies, which makes them more vulnerable to chronic diseases. Gut microbial imbalance in infants elevates health risks and could lead to long-term adverse effects. The initial colonization of…...

5+ mon, 3+ day ago   (588+ words) An antibody in maternal milk limits an allergy-promoting bacterium in the infant gut microbiome, informing the development of better formula milk. Katherine Donald, a microbiologist in Brett Finlay's lab at the University of British Columbia studies how milk affects infant…...